Worcester State Shooting: Police Officer Describes Chaotic Aftermath
WORCESTER – A police officer filed a court document detailing a chaotic scene on the Worcester State University campus early Saturday morning. A large crowd of approximately 150 people were screaming and yelling after a shooting incident that resulted in the death of a teenager from Southbridge. Another person was also shot but is expected to survive. The shootings have led to the detainment of a Southbridge teenager pending a dangerousness hearing. Police are currently on the lookout for Kevin J. Rodriguez, a 19-year-old wanted for armed assault with intent to murder.
The individuals involved in the shootings and the subsequent charges are not enrolled at Worcester State University. However, as a precautionary measure, a residence hall and multiple college students were searched following the incident.
Richard Nieves, an 18-year-old from Southbridge, has been charged with carrying a firearm without a license and trespassing. He was apprehended at 32 Zenith Drive, approximately one mile away from the Worcester State University campus. The arrest took place in a residential neighborhood off May Street. Nieves appeared in Central District Court on Monday and is being held for a dangerous hearing scheduled for Friday.
Randy A. Melendez Jr. from Southbridge was declared deceased at UMass Memorial Hospital – University Campus, where both victims were taken on Saturday. Another 21-year-old man underwent surgery for a gunshot wound but is expected to survive.
A motion to impound “certain information” related to the arrest warrant and criminal complaint against Kevin J. Rodriguez was granted on Monday by Judge David P. Despotopulos.
Investigation Details
According to a statement from Officer Daniel Pennellatore, he and his K-9 partner Beebs responded to a report of shots fired at Worcester State at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Saturday. Pennellatore encountered a crowd of about 150 people who were screaming and yelling. As he approached the crowd, Pennellatore found a gunshot victim lying in the bushes along with a campus police officer. He immediately provided first aid to the injured individual.
Pennellatore observed a gunshot wound in the victim’s left side rib. Although he could not find an exit wound, the officer applied pressure to the injury. The victim remained conscious and alert during this time.
While directing emergency medical services to the scene, dispatch relayed information about a possible suspect being held at gunpoint by an off-duty corrections officer. This suspect turned out to be Richard Nieves. Pennellatore, along with two other officers, responded to the location, where Nieves promptly surrendered. A firearm was found on the ground near Nieves.
As the officers were returning to Worcester State University, a call came in about another shooting incident at the campus. Pennellatore and his colleagues joined a campus police officer to investigate. They located several men outside a residence hall who appeared to be trying to leave the area. Pennellatore drew his firearm and directed them to comply. One man was initially taken into custody and later released when it was determined that he was neither armed nor a suspect.
The officers conducted a sweep of the residence hall, evacuating all residents and searching them for weapons. No shooter or victims were found inside the building.
Cell Phone Video Evidence
Cell phone videos obtained by the police show the events leading up to the shooting. The footage captured a physical altercation between two men, followed by a third individual dressed in dark clothing firing a single shot into the air. The altercation continued as the men moved toward a row of parked cars and pushed each other in a wooded area.
A blue Honda Accord then arrived, and two men exited the vehicle to join the fight. One of them brandished a firearm and fired multiple shots in rapid succession. The men quickly returned to the car, which fled the scene in the direction of Chandler Street.
While Pennellatore was providing aid to one victim in the wooded area, another injured person emerged from between two parked cars, walked a short distance, and collapsed. It is unclear from the obtained evidence which individual was Randy A. Melendez Jr.
This report was originally published on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester State Shooting: Police Officer Describes Chaotic Aftermath
